9: New Awakening
by Snow22
Summary: The rains have come and past, and now an old stitchpunk named 0 is found in a library garden when 7, 9 and the twins want to find a new home. When this "mother" of the stitchpunks finds out about the others, what will she do? One shot


From the time the rain fell, the skies were starting to clear. Life was restoring itself, and soon within three weeks time, plants were forming across the ruins of dust and debris. A sun showed itself through the thick clouds, making things brighter. 7 stared up towards the smoky clouds, sighing as she set her staff down upon a bare spot of dirt. She nearly leapt up in a startling mood when she saw the shadow of long fingers stretching toward her. Just as she was about to attack, she stopped hearing the scared tone of her lover. 9 flailed his arms over his head for protection, stooping down with eyes closed.  
She rolled her eyes and lifted his chin up, "Sorry, I thought you might be a Beast."  
"Beast?" He questioned, relaxing and standing to full height, "There's no way there would be those things anymore. I mean look at this place, it's so peaceful."  
"A little too peaceful if you ask me." She crossed her arms and sighed slightly. Even though it was only them and the twins now, things were working quite smoothly. She finally looked to him, waving with an embarrassed look about his face. "9, I really like it but I'm still not used to…well, not fighting! It's just not natural for me to be so calm like this."  
3 and 4 managed to sneak their way over, flashing their eyes at every little detailed plant that crossed their path. They smiled, holding the two together in their arms and went off exploring again. 9 smiled with 7, the two leaning towards one another. He motioned his hand over the lands, "It's probably for the best. I mean now we have more time for each other."  
"And for the kids."  
9 gave a surprised look as he backed slightly away from her, "Wait, did you just say THE kids?"  
"I meant the twins! That's what I meant to say!" She shouted, flustered at her choice of words. It was obvious the two were like parents to 3 and 4 but neither would admit their feelings about each other.  
He chuckled a bit, patting her shoulder. She stuck the staff towards him, smirking a bit, "You catch something like that and make fun of me again, I'll be stuffing this down your zipper hole!"  
9 gulped and set it down gently, cocking his head slightly as their mouths got closer. "Come on 7! Relax, nothing is going to happen to us anymore! In fact, why don't we go check out some more places…maybe find a good place to live and keep the twins. They like books right?"  
An idea lit up on 7's face as she turned around, gaining the twins attention. She pointed her blade to the southeast and lowered her mask down, "There is a library far across the Darkness area. It has a large garden in the courtyard that could protect us further."  
The twins clapped happily and grabbed each of their parent-figure's arms. 9 looked to 7 slightly confused, "How do you know about that place?"  
7 looked to the ground, sadly, "There was another one of us a long time ago. She, like 2, was banished into that area and left to die."  
"I didn't think the Scientist made any more of us." He told, standing up on his toes to see the image of the Library approaching. It was a huge building with detailed mosaic forever marking the pathway to the stone steps. Large but crumbling marble pillars that withstood all the weight of the concaving roof above that looked to have a hemisphere shape beforehand. Scowling lions, full of arid and sand-filled holes stood still proud at the entrance doors. The wood was rotting away, chips of maroon colored handles still stuck to the remnants. Within were walls and shelves all decorated neatly with books still remaining in tact. It looked like no Beast or machine had even bothered to disrupt this place. Only time had worn this place of age, not a single book was out of place. And there were no human remains either. It was just a titanic barren building filled with books.  
The twins were in paradise. Immediately they started to find things to climb the shelves, scanning through short children's books. "Don't go too crazy guys! We might be staying for a while so don't read them all now!" 7 giggled as 9 took her by the hand towards the back area. She had specified this as the courtyard area. The moon was full in the skies, night had fallen just a few hours ago. Stars sparkled above as they entered the garden. A pond, looking to be a lake, stood at the edge of a detailed fish fountain that once spewed water from the tip of its mouth into the pond and through the tiny irrigation tubes that watered the flowers. Whoever had created the system took it in a wonderful, artistic way. And what was even more amazing was the flowers that grew. So many colors adorned the plants they had never had a chance to witness; bright shades of yellow, deep purples, wild reds and cool blue with white tinges. 7 laughed as she leapt to the ground, "Bet you can't catch me 9!"  
He smirked, following suit and running after her through the tall grasses. They swung across vines crossing the canals below and ran through floating seed pods that scattered into the wind. As she was distracted by the way the puff-seeds floated, he tackled her into the ground. They laughed while rolling a bit and he finally pinned her down, smiling down at her.  
She shoved her hand into his face, but he took it away. And there they lie, just gazing at one another in the frolic of floating seeds and the glare of the silvery moon above. "7…" He whispered, holding her head but she gasped, getting up from underneath his body.  
The two sat upwards, hearing the snapping of branches around them. Instinctively, she gripped her staff and pulled down her helmet. As the noises came closer, she continued to keep her feet moving. Finally it came so close that she swung her blade but was stopped by the scream of a woman. Her staff dropped, and she cocked her head slightly. 9 got the courage to peek behind the grass at where the noise came from. And there, shaking violently was another creature just like them. Stitches adorned this one's body, a cross upon her cheek from an assumed attack. The body looked aged, rusty hands carrying a pairing knife. 7 joined with him and gasped, stooping down to pick the figure's chin up. It blinked and smiled, saying in a kind elderly woman's voice, "7?"  
"0?" 7 helped her up and put a hand on her own mouth. She looked completely shocked, "Is that really you?"  
"Yes, it is me child." She blinked slowly to show she was okay and 7 took 0 within her arms. 9 laughed with them, the two women almost squealing with joy at finding each other. He noticed the faint ink "0" placed upon the newcomer's back.  
7 hugged her securely then, sounding like she could cry, "I knew you could make it. You were always a tough one. I learned so much from you."  
0 patted her shoulder, "Well, I would hope I was a good teacher. And look! I never got the chance to meet you!" She gripped 9's copper hands tightly and nodded. "Hello there! Call me 0, or Grandma. Either one works, and I'm so old I could care less." She and the others chuckled as their echoes bounced into the night. 0 cracked her knuckles slightly, putting the knife into her hand-made leather belt. "Now, where's all my grandkids huh? It's been so long since I've seen any of em!"  
As she continued to be happy, chuckling and bouncing, the two looked at her sadly. She stopped once realizing their concern. Her shoulders dropped, shaking her head. Her lips quivered, "No…no…anyone but them. The Brain, it did it….didn't it?"  
"Yes Grandma." 7 told grimly, gulping down a huge weight.  
"B-But…6 was going to play in all the pretty ink plants I grew just for him! And 8, I know how much he likes those scissors so I was going to let him trim the bushes. A-And 5! He was going to use the vines for stitching material…"  
"They…got everyone. Beside us and the twins…" 9 said, rubbing his palms with guilt.

0 almost fell over at this, holding her neck in pain of the news. Her whole body shook with pain as she stared at 7 desperately, "what about 2? What happened to 2?"  
This would be the hardest, and 7 knew she was going to be the one to tell her. There was always something special between 0 and 2, she knew that from the moment she awakened. Always inventing together, creating new things. With pride in her chest, she held 0 in a tight squeeze and finally let It out in a miserable  
sigh, "He was the first to go."

It took 0 hours to recover from the news, leaving plenty of time for the twins to frolic about in the books. They turned around as the three came from the gardens, the sun beginning to shine once more. Quickly 3 and 4 ran over to 0, and she held them each within her tight grasp. "Oh!" She told in a high-loving voice with a large smile spreading across her face. The twin's flashed their eyes about towards her, signifying their joy upon witnessing her. "My precious little gardening gloves! How I missed you so much! I am so glad to see you two are okay."  
They nodded in approval and clapped their hands upon the green she held in her palm. Instantaneously, they began cataloging the image of the plant and grasped it, feeling the texture. 0 sat down, holding her head sadly watching the twins carefully as 9 sat down next to her, "So nobody ever told me about this…what happened to you?"

She beckoned 4 over and 3 gripped onto the sleeve of the coat tightly. Slowly 4's eyes flickered, images popping up upon a blank sheet of paper. A film projection was shown, and 0 smiled upon seeing 2 in the contraption. "I was created right after 1 was. I was apart of what he called New Models, starting with me. I was the crude, prototype that he wanted to make to see how the systems would work."  
The Scientist in the black and white flash to the past picked up 1's chin and leveled the newly awakened body of 0. "She will be your disciple, 1. If ever something happens, I want her to be in charge."  
"Preposterous!" 1 shouted, holding up a fist. 0 flinched slightly and retracted within the palm. The man shook his head, and tapped the bare head of his first doll on the head. "Don't be so rude 1! Welcome her to the world."  
"Obviously he refused and one by one, we were released into this place. 2 came to me first, seeing I was having trouble with the watering can. Back then we were so young, making our very first experiment together. He helped me develop a system of pressurized weight to help lift and pour the watering cans for the potted plants. 1 never liked me at all, and saw my image within the newer stitchpunks. So one day, just as 2 and I began to grow feelings for one another the old man decided it was my time to go. Claiming to be the righteous leader for our people, he decided to send me into the war. But I made him come with me, to the edge of the church where we separated. But not before…"  
Upon the screen was a calm walkway, free of noise from the war outside. 0 was shuffling through the rubble sadly, holding her arm in pain. 2 ran after her, both looking a bit aged now. He gripped her shoulder and she turned around, her sad eyes staring into his. "You're just leaving like this?"  
"He banished me 2…where else can I go?"  
"Remember that place we always looked at when the sun set? Go there! Use the sun to guide you. I promise to meet you there as soon as all this is over with?"  
"Really?" "Really." The two stared at one another, giving each other huge hugs that seemed to last forever. But as soon as a bomb shook the screen, he motioned his hand, "I'll come for you! Don't worry!"  
3 held 4 as the film ended, making the others stare to 0. She shook her head a bit and bit her nails. "I know he told me the truth…"  
Thunder rolled in the distance. 7 shrugged, "Grandma, could we live with you here?"  
"That would be fine for me darling."

As the stitchpunks gathered and separated to explore the library, 0 was left standing in the remaining light of the stain glass covering the ceiling above. It glittered across the chandelier and made the floor surrounded in rainbows. She closed her eyes, sighing as she lifted her hand to the light, "I know you will come back."  
The sky darkened as thunder became louder, rain beginning to pour violently down the shafts of the garden. A pipe sticking out that helped produce the water, spewed a tiny board with a floating object upon it. It continued to float until it rested upon the banks of the irrigation tunnels. The body of 2 lie on the board, staring forever into space. The rain frequently splashed about, forming ripples in the water. And some of these drops landed within the mouth of the body. Suddenly, a gasp arose and his body sprung up. His eyes were wide open, fingers curling around the edge of the board. His feet splashed in the water until he arrived to the edge of the garden.  
He heard footsteps and opened his palm. There was standing 0, trying to cut the umbrella-like leaves of a plant. She almost dropped to her knees, witnessing her lover rising from the waters. 0 stooped over him with the plant in one hand, an open palm stretching out. "Hello again, 2."


End file.
